Unknown danger
by miss4nschik
Summary: Had he known, if she had told him, then he could've done something about it.    Written for the Gabby Forum's Creative Hiatus 2011 with the prompt "Betrayal".


**Author's Note: **Written for the Gabby Forum's Creative Hiatus 2011 (week 2) with the prompt "Betrayal".

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><p>He took in the damages. It was not a pretty sight...<p>

The area around the left eye was dark purple... The upper lip was swollen and had a ugly red cut...

A vicious looking scratch ran like a red line went across the cheek and the marks from the fingers that had held a hard grip around the neck had an almost nauseating yellow and red hue to them...

Ducky wrapped the right hand in white gauze and asked his patient, yet again, if it hurt anywhere else. She didn't answer out loud, only shook her head. With the rest of the team working on finding the guy who did this to her, and Gibbs, Abby and Ducky being the only people there, the room was quiet.

As a silent tear ran down Abby's cheek the Doctor placed a comforting hand on her shoulder and looked up to meet the serious gaze of the Special Agent standing by the doors. She had refused to go to the hospital; arguing that they would have enough to do at the ER on a Friday night than to see to her "tiny, little injuries". Sensing that Gibbs wanted to have a private talk with her, the Doctor excused himself after making sure that Abby's wounds were all seen to.

"Don't push her too hard, Jethro, I'd say she's had enough of a trauma for tonight."

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><p>. . . . .<p>

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><p>Gibbs began pacing back and forth over the floor. She glanced his way every now and then; knowing him well enough to see that he was finding it hard to stay calm.<p>

Why didn't we know about this guy? How long have you been seeing him? Where did you meet? Did you know he could get violent? Why were you with him? Why didn't I know about him? Questions run through Gibbs head at a high speed. Some he asks, some he keeps to himself; not sure on whether to let her keep some of her private life private or not...

He stands behind the bench she's sitting on when he asks her about the man who caused these bruises and cuts that were now on her; not wanting to let her see how angry he really is.

If the guy was here now, Gibbs wouldn't hesitate to put a round through his knee. That would hurt like hell, pain him for life, but wouldn't kill him. A good punishment...

"Stop acting like I've betrayed you, Gibbs."

"Why didn't you come to me?"

"And told you what? That maybe someone you don't know and have never heard of, may or may not, want to hurt or even kill me but I don't know when, where or how? And what would you've done about it?"

He sighs and looks into the ceiling, knowing perfectly well that there was little he could've done to prevent this from happening, but if he had known that there was a possibly violent lunatic out there who was a threat to _his_ girl, he could've put the bastard behind bars one way or another.

"You should've told me about him."

"Why? It all happened a long time ago, when you were in Mexico."

He walks up to stand in front of her,"I came back."

"And I thought he was gone for good!"

He locks her gaze into his and asks her, "Why didn't you tell me about him?"

"Like 'Hi Gibbs! Great to have you back again because now I got another dangerous and crazy stalker after me!'", she breaks eye contact and looks down, "I didn't tell you because... I didn't want to sound like I needed you to protect me.", she pauses a moment before continuing, trying to find some good words to describe her thoughts, "When you left I realized how much I had begun to rely on you like my silver-haired knight in shining armor... And without you here I felt more like I had to take care of myself. Decided that the storm I was in, I had to ride through on my own..."

"You're not on your own, Abs.", she meets his eyes again, seeming slightly relieved, "And I'm taking you home."

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><p>. . . . .<p>

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><p>When they reach her apartment she makes them coffee and they sit down in the sofa in her living room. Switching on the television she finds some movie they somewhat watches. Gibbs isn't focusing on the movie, couldn't care less right now. Abby is the only one on his mind. And well, the idiot that hurt her. He listens to every noise, every car passing... But every window is looked, the door is bolted. He shouldn't worry too much.<p>

She's not thinking about the movie either. Thinking about the second crazy stalker she's dated. Every noise, every car passing in the street makes her tense up... Once the third car that's stopped outside and has made her sit up straight, right on edge, she feels his hand run soothingly over her back. "Relax.", he tells her softly, "I'm right here. Not going anywhere."

She smiles back at him but she can't get herself to relax into the sofa again. While looking on the TV, still not sure what the movie is even about, she rubs her right hand subconsciously and sighs deeply. It is aching quite a bit since she had fallen on it during the attack.

"How's the hand?", he asks.

"It's just aching a bit... Actually quite a lot..."

He had sat somewhat relaxed in the sofa before but now he moves to sit up next to her. He takes her bandaged hand into his and lifts it up a bit while bending forward to meet it with his mouth.

He blows through the bandage, making the whole hand feel warmed by his breath. He massages the hand carefully, blowing hot breath through the gauze once again and continuing to massage it a bit longer. At least momentarily making it feel better.

The gesture not only makes her hand warmer, she feels like she's gotten warmer all over. Being alone with Gibbs and having his lips on her, even if there was now a bandage in between, always had felt a bit... intoxicating... Turning plenty of sensible thoughts into plain goo.

Then he lets go of her hand. "How does it feel?"

"Feels better now actually. Does that treatment work on all injuries?", she asks, trying to sound cheerful and like she's only joking. Secretly wishing for him to try and find out.

He leans forward and kisses her bruised eye ever so softly, "Better?"

Feeling a bit surprised, she looks at him with an amused expression, taking a brief moment to think before answering, "Not really."

With a hand under her chin he tilts her head and leans forward again to press a new kiss on the red scratch on the cheek. "How about now?"

Mentally she's jumping up and down and dancing, as it seems that she's not the only one wondering whether his lips really do heal... On the outside she remains calm though,"Maybe."

She leans back into the sofa to make herself comfortable against the backrest. He follows her movements as she makes them and when she tilts her head back, baring her neck, he begins placing tender kisses on the red marks on her neck. "Getting there.", she murmurs with her eyes closed and a smile on her lips.

He trails his kisses up her neck and then gently places a kiss on her still swollen lip and even if it hurts quite a bit, there's not a chance that she's going to complain.

There's a mischievous glimmer in her darkening eyes when she opens them to look at him, "I don't know really... Do that again."

He smirks and presses his lips against hers again, this time fully covering her mouth though, and even though it must hurt she kisses him back passionately.

"Feeling better now?", he asks her when they momentarily break for air.

"Much.", she murmurs against his lips as she seeks them out for another kiss.

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><p>. . . . .<p>

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><p>After more kissing but before anything else, his cell phone rings. "Gibbs."<p>

"_Boss! We got him."_

"Good work." - Click.


End file.
